Healthcare purchasing

Speech therapy healthcare purchasing

Speech therapy forms part of the healthcare covered under the public healthcare insurance (the Health Insurance Act). The healthcare reimbursed by HollandZorg is provided by speech therapists with their own practice and speech therapists affiliated with a nursing home or a disability care centre. Treatment is usually given in the speech therapist's practice or at home, if this is necessary from a medical point of view. The content of the healthcare is documented in the 'policy rules and healthcare descriptions for speech therapy' of the Dutch Healthcare Authority.

In some cases, schools use speech therapy expertise to follow the speech development of their pupils. This speech therapy care forms part of the regular duties of a school, not of the treatments arranged and reimbursed under the Health Insurance Act.

1. Vision on healthcare

1.1 Why do we enter into contracts?

We enter into contracts with healthcare provides so as to guarantee they meet the basic quality requirements and ensure the healthcare they provide is efficient. This is provided for in the contract. For the care providers, a contract also offers favourable conditions regarding payment.

1.2 Points to note when purchasing

We distinguish a number of points to note when purchasing speech therapy:

Quality

When we conclude a contract with a speech therapist, our first requirement is that the speech therapist holds a BIG registration and is entered in the Paramedics Quality Register.

In addition, the speech therapist must prove he works in accordance with the most recent guidelines and protocols of the professional association. This makes it possible for you to receive the most up-to-date and suitable healthcare. The following is also very important to us:

an adequate electronic patient dossier;

consultation with the person who referred you;

regular customer satisfaction surveys;

focus on the customer.

We also think privacy, continued training, observer agreements and a good practice structure are important for good quality healthcare.

Accessibility

Until recently, every speech therapist was available only through referrals. In the course of 2011, it became possible to visit a speech therapist directly if he/she has received specific, appropriate training (Direct Access). The speech therapist subsequently assesses if he/she can help you further. By contracting a sufficient number of practices, there will usually be a practice available in your immediate vicinity and waiting times will not be too long. We make agreements with the care providers about the effectiveness of treatment. After all, you benefit from receiving fast and correct care. In terms of physical accessibility, we apply the structural requirements set by the occupational group.

Efficiency

As most other insurers, we are also faced with rising costs for healthcare. When costs rise, it will affect the extent of the premium you pay. That is why our policy is not only aimed at safeguarding quality, but also at acting cost-effectively. We feel it is important to exchange ideas with the contracted speech therapists about the most effective treatment methods, the treatment objectives and the corresponding treatment period required.

2. How is the choice of freedom organised for the insured?

With HollandZorg, you can select your own care provider. In principle, we only conclude contracts with all speech therapists who meet the basic quality requirements. This means there will always be a contracted speech therapist near you. You can find a speech therapist via our Care Finder.

In addition to our contracted speech therapists, you may come across non-contracted healthcare. They are practices that are unable to meet our basic quality requirements, or who choose not to conclude a contract with HollandZorg.

HollandZorg applies maximum reimbursements for speech therapy provided by non-contracted practices. We therefore always advise you to ask your care provider in advance if he has a contract with HollandZorg. You can also view this via our Care Finder.

As soon as you have found a care provider, it is wise to make certain arrangements about your treatment with this care provider: what are the objectives? How will they be achieved?

3. Special/innovative agreements

Although the discipline of speech therapy covers a fairly specific area of attention, we encourage care providers to increase and improve their collaboration with other healthcare disciplines. This is one of the ways in which we try to further improve the service provision to our insured.

4. More information

We are happy to help you further by giving you information about care providers. If you have any questions or issues, please contact us. You can call HollandZorg on working days on +31 (0)570 687 123 or send an e-mail.